This invention relates in general to apparatus for working on sheet material and deals more particularly with improved apparatus of the type which includes a conveyor for advancing material to a work region and supporting the material while it is worked upon by a tool mounted on a movable carriage assembly. The present invention is particularly concerned with improvements in programmable apparatus of the aforedescribed general type for advancing and cutting elongated layups of sheet material. In such programmable apparatus, the conveyor normally operates intermittently to feed or advance successive layups of sheet material or contiguous segments of a long layup to a cutting region. Throughout the feeding mode of the machine cycle, during which material to be cut is advanced by the conveyor, the cutting tool is normally out of cutting engagement with the material. During the cutting mode of the cycle the conveyor and the material thereon remain at rest while a movable carriage assembly moves a cutting tool in cutting engagement with the material. Considerable production time may be lost while the cutting tool is idle and the material is advanced to the cutting region by the conveyor.
It is the general aim of the present invention to provide apparatus of the aforedescribed general type for working on sheet material wherein the material is worked upon by a tool which moves relative to a conveyor and in directions parallel to the direction of conveyor movement while the material is advanced by the conveyor. A further aim of the invention is to provide an improved programmable cutting machine of the aforedescribed type wherein both the cutting tool and the conveyor may move simultaneously and relative to each other so that material may be cut in accordance with a predetermined program while it is being advanced by the conveyor and without alteration of the existing software control for the machine.